Dr. Véronique Niesing, ND
797 Lorne St P3C4R5 Greater Sudbury, ON, Canada

Update: Healthcare professionals, including Naturopathic Doctors can remain open during the lockdown (as of Dec 26th). I continue to offer virtual or in-person appointments to my patients and am accepting new patients in the New Year. For those of you with an appointment in the clinic know that I will continue to maintain a safe, sanitized space that allows for social distancing. ... If you choose virtual care, know that it does not change the quality of your care and treatment plan. If there any changes, I will be sure to keep you all updated and informed. As always, feel free to out with any questions

Sleep is everything Poorer sleep quality and short sleep duration in the weeks preceding an exposure to the rhinovirus (virus that causes the common cold) were associated with lower resistance to illness. In other words, poor sleep quality and quantity = increased risk of common cold. If you aren’t sleeping well or long enough and need support to establish the root cause or interested in a tailored treatment plan, I’m your gal Let’s work on prioritizing those zzz’s

There are officially only 6 weeks left of 2020.Am I the only freaking out. How is this possible? Time has been flying by lately. This is your official reminder to use up those benefits if you’ve been meaning to. Naturopathic medicine is often covered by benefit plans (or at least in part). Just all of the services offered (including acupuncture and facial acupuncture fall under Naturopathic services).

$40 well spent Generally, I ask my patients to get their vitamin D status checked even though universal screening is not currently routine practice. If we know that many people have vitamin D levels that are less than currently recommended for optimal health, and we know that supplementing can help decrease the risk of conditions associated with low levels of vitamin D, then doesn’t testing baseline levels sound like a no-brainer?... Well, you see, it’s costing our health care system a lot of money to tell us that most of us are deficient. So instead, the current health care system recommends that most patients take a low dose supplement or get their vitamin D through fortified foods and boom, case closed. But it’s not that simple. With the exception of fatty fish, the vitamin D content of most foods, including fortified foods, is relatively low to nonexistent. Also, research is inconsistent when comparing daily supplementing and results in vitamin D status. And we also know that supplementing when unnecessary can have harmful effects. Different populations have different requirements. Did you know that there are vitamin D receptors expressed in almost every tissue and cell in your body. Low levels of vitamin D are associated with poor bone health, a higher risk of acute and chronic disease (cardiovascular, autoimmune, neurological diseases, infections, pregnancy complications and cancer), mental health conditions (anxiety, depression, SAD), obesity, infertility, etc. It’s important we test and not guess. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6365669/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20675513/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33022267/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33012554/ See more

Spread the message! Black Lives Matter - Sudbury Up Here festival

I’m told my hormones are unbalanced but I have no idea what it means. You’ve probably heard me use the expression balancing hormones when talking about treatment goals and wondered what I mean. Let me break it down for you. To simplify, I’m going to talk about estrogen and progesterone, as these are the two predominant sex hormones in women. ... When these hormones are unbalanced it means that there is either too much or too little of a hormone in the bloodstream relative to the other. Let’s take estrogen dominance for example. There are different situations that are all classified as estrogen dominance. In all of these situations (in the graphs above), you will notice that estrogen is always in excess *relative* to progesterone levels. An estrogen dominance doesn’t always mean higher than normal levels of estrogen; it can mean progesterone deficiency with normal levels of estrogen. See how this can get complicated? Espiecally that treatment for estrogen dominance can look different depending on hormone levels. Interested in learning more about hormone testing and estrogen dominance? Let me know in the comments below. See more

Pour mes amis franco-ontarien, voir le lien ci-bas pour visionner le 45e lever du drapeau franco-ontarien sur le mât original.

Close the blinds Speak more quietly These are likely things you’ve said (or wanted to say) while suffering from a migraine. I used to suffer from frequent migraines myself and I know first-hand how debilitating they can be. Often, as migraine sufferers, we’re told to go lie in a dark, quiet room to get some rest. Though it’s a great recommendation, it’s not always possible. ... Migraines always cause pain and sometimes cause nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound. For some, the migraine headache is preceded by an aura. Aura is best described as a visual disturbance (either flashing lights, zigzags, or distorted shapes) What triggers these headaches? The answer can be different for migraine sufferers. Hormonal changes (usually the week before you start period), certain foods, stress, poor sleep, the weather or barometric changes, medications can all be common triggers. It is thought that after being exposed to the migraine trigger, there is rebound vasodilation of blood vessels in the pain after they vasoconstrict. Well that, plus inflammation. There are treatment options to help prevent migraines from occurring in the first place. There are also rescue treatment options to consider. Do you suffer from migraines or chronic headaches? Let’s chat See more

I think it’s time I touch base with you about something. Juggling the work/life balance has been nothing short of tricky. As a working mom, I wear many hats. Now throw in a new puppy in the mix (.but she’s so cute). Don’t get me wrong, I feel privileged to 1) be a mom but also 2) be a mom who is able to work doing virtual consultations during a pandemic but evidently it comes with its’ challenges. One of the things that hit the back burner when the pandemic first began... was prioritizing a work/life balance. I talk about the importance of balancing work and personal life with almost each one of my patients and yet, here I was guilty of crossing the boundaries. After speaking with several of my patients during these difficult and trying times, I realize I am not the only one. Take this as a reminder, or a sign that balancing both your work like and home life is a must - even if it looks quite different than it did pre-COVID. create a schedule and having set work hours and a routine set up a work space (doesn’t have to be fancy) get dressed as soon as you wake up prioritize and create to-do lists (urgent and important vs non urgent nor important) plot some personal time be realistic schedule breaks meet people half way These are all important strategies to maintaining and creating a healthy work/life balance. Tomorrow, I’m managing those boundaries a little better. I’m sending Jacob off to a home daycare and I’m spending the day focusing on my work. I’m giving my patients my undivided attention, tending to my to-do list, all while sipping hot coffee (perks!). See more